Erasmus's Translation of the New Testament and the Reformation

This morning, Red Baron was at the university, listening to a lecture by Professor Henk Jan de Jonge of the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. His topic, "Erasmus's Translation of the New Testament and the Reformation," is highly relevant as Lutherans worldwide commemorate 500 years of the Reformation.

In 1516 Johann Froben at Basel published the Novum Instrumentum omne diligenter ab Erasmo Roterdamo recognitum & emendatum, non solum ad graecam veritatem, verumetiam ad multorum utrisque linguae codicum ... emendationem & interpretationem ... by Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus.

The renowned expert in the field, Professor Jan de Jonge, told the audience that Erasmus's initial purpose was to write a Latin text more elegant than the Vulgate. His translation of the New Testament from the handwritten Greek urtext is based on classical Latin, as used by Cicero, Caesar, Sallust, Livius, and Quintilian. Erasmus went back to the Greek roots (ad fontes). He did not want to replace the Latin Vulgata, which dates back to the 4th century, but rather to eliminate corrupt text passages and correct mistranslations.

According to Erasmus, one should translate not ad verbum (word-for-word) but ad sensum (sinngemäß or meaning-based). Any translation is just a recommendation and does not determine the meaning. Erasmus hoped that during the religious turmoil of the Reformation, his new translation would contribute to the renewal of Christianity.

Martin Luther used Erasmus's "best" Latin version to translate the New Testament into German. Still, with the help of many new German words he invented, the interpretation was all his. In fact, the significance of Erasmus's work is not so much the improved Latin of the Novum Instrumentum for use by theologians and educated individuals, but rather the opening of opportunities for additional, newer translations and interpretations. 

This is why Catholics were not allowed to read Bibles other than those authorized by Rome for centuries. In the 19th century, ironically, Protestant theologians began scrutinizing Luther's texts, returning to their roots. As times change, so do translations and interpretations of the Bible.

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